Region IV Vice President Candidate

Tracy O. Linhart

BIOGRAPHY

Tracy O. Linhart is the safety director for Premier Beverage Co. LLC in Miramar, FL. The company is a subsidiary of Charmer Sunbelt Group of New York. He serves as consultant for SH&E and transportation issues to the Charmer Sunbelt Group, and he oversees the firm's safety, health, environmental and transportation programs in Florida by providing technical assistance regarding safety and regulatory compliance.

Tracy has more than 24 years' experience in the safety field. Prior to joining Premier Beverage Co. LLC, he was a safety officer in the U.S. Navy and EHS regional manager for Waste Management. He holds an M.S.A. in Public Administration from Central Michigan University, a B.A. in Business Administration from St. Leo College, and an A.S. in Electronics Engineering and an A.A. in Business from Key West Community College.

An ASSE member since 1994, Tracy has served as Region IV Area Director for the past 5 years, has served the last 3 years as Region IV Deputy Regional Vice President, and chaired the nominations and awards committees. He served on the task force to develop online regional vice president and area director training for future ASSE leaders. Since July 2010, Tracy has been helping with the Transportation Practice Specialty and Human Resources Branch. He has been a leader in his local chapter by volunteering and being elected to most all the chapter offices. While he was president of the South Florida Chapter, it received the first Chapter Stars Award in Region IV.

Other professional affiliations include American Trucking Association, Florida Trucking Association and National Safety Council of South Florida. Tracy is also active in his community, currently a Boy Scout leader. His hobbies and interests are many, from sailing to crochet, but he spends most of his free time with family.

PLATFORM STATEMENT

What do I know about the challenges of the Society and Region IV? Over the last 5 years as Area Director and Deputy Regional Vice President, I have seen technology explode with social networking. The groups help our members who need quick help. Members get answers and education that would take more time to acquire than just a year ago, but using social media does not take the place of good face-to-face meeting. If elected my ultimate goal is to bring to the Chapters and Area Directors resources that will help the chapters grow and members see the enormous value of their membership in ASSE.

I am ready to visit the chapters and to bring the chapter presidents and executive boards together through the area directors by brainstorming best practices in recruiting, attendance, and chapter management for our region. Our region has a wide array of diversity in membership and attendance. We have chapters that are candidates for Chapter of the Year and we have chapters that are considering becoming a section. I have seen chapters grow and dwindle, we all have to be a champion for safe working and living. One idea that has merit is a program started in one of the areas to share chapter speaker resources with all the chapters. A second campaign is one of education, educating our own members on the resources the society has organized in the members only section of the society web site.

I am ready to work to make our Region stronger. Remember, we are working to help each other to save lives, and, in doing so, we will be able to sleep at night knowing we did everything in our power to keep everyone safe and secure from injury.